Words
by tinkerbell2
Summary: Chapter 8 & 9 now here and there might just be a character death... please R&R.
1. Stay

This is just a very small idea for a story. If it's liked then I will continue. This whole idea is based around songs so if you recognise pieces you'll know why. Reviews would be extremely welcome (and an extreme relief!)  
  
  
  
Stay.  
  
You say I only hear what I want to  
  
You say I talk so all the time so  
  
The words echoed around in his head locked in this chamber of incessant thoughts. They refused to subside and with every word of the song he flinched knowing how little he did to try and make her stay. He'd had every opportunity and he'd let her go.  
  
And I thought what I felt was simple  
  
And I thought that I don't belong  
  
And now that I am leaving  
  
Now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you  
  
Yeah yeah, I missed you  
  
She hadn't wanted to leave. He'd pushed her away. She had held him close and whispered how much she cared for him into his ear but the thoughts had only added to the unexpressed feelings that he'd had for years and now each word was mangled and twisted into something he knew he'd felt a long time ago, and that he still did.  
  
You say I only hear what I want to:  
  
I don't listen hard, don't pay attention to the distance that you're running  
  
To anyone, anywhere  
  
I don't understand if you really care, I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no  
  
It was true. In the past few hours he'd listened to what he thought had been said. But he was racing her and they were driving the same car. He was running ahead when they were meant to be in a three-legged race. In other words it just wasn't working. The only words that he'd heard from her were negatives. In truth they had been positive but compared and contrasted with the thoughts he'd had of her for years he suddenly felt inadequate and turned every positive into a negative somehow erasing the pain that now coursed solemnly throughout his body. The kind of pain that isn't physical but purely psychosomatic, the kind that can only be taken away when things are resolved, and those things are objects that are way beyond reach and lost in the black hole of constant 'what if's'.  
  
So I turned the radio on, I turned the radio up  
  
And this woman was singing my song:  
  
Lover's in love and the other's run away  
  
Lover is crying 'cause the other won't stay  
  
Some of us hover when we weep for the other who was  
  
Dying since the day they were born  
  
Well, well, this is not that  
  
I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown  
  
It was true; as soon as she'd left he'd turned the CD player on hoping that it would drown out the contrasting voices in his head. Some berating him and some rationalising with him, seeing how unrealistic the hope was that she felt the same way about him as he did about her. It was just some form of teenage fantasy, one that could be created and destroyed in mere seconds, just because they were so ludicrous. He'd thought he was in the driving seat and that his emotions and feelings were the back seat passengers. Just taken along for the ride whilst logic and reason ruled entirely throughout his life. But he was wrong. As soon as she'd looked at him with those crystal tears falling gracefully from her eyes, not caring if he saw them, he'd melted. He saw how much he'd hurt her and how it would take a lot to fix the crater he'd just created in their relationship. The tears flowed freely, each one focused on him. Her facial contours absorbing each pure moment of liquidised sorrow.  
  
And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure  
  
You try to tell me that I'm clever  
  
But that won't take me anyhow, or anywhere with you  
  
He couldn't live without her in his life. She was one of his few motivations. The urge to see her could never be repressed and was a constant reminder of past, present and inevitably future feelings for this woman. She'd looked him dead in the eye and asked him if any compliment that he'd ever given her was the truth or just some fabricated lie to make her stay. He knew it wasn't. But she didn't and somehow that was a lot worse than if she had been correct in her insinuations.  
  
You said that I was naive and I thought that I was strong  
  
I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave."  
  
Oh, but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you  
  
Yeah, I miss you  
  
He felt naïve, inexperienced. He'd never been good with this relationship jargon but it had never seemed important before but now it was an increasingly worrying part of his life, something that needed a resolution but he couldn't see an obvious enough way out to solve it. She'd left him. She'd just got up and left without turning back. Somehow that hurt more than if she'd stayed and shouted at him because he knew she couldn't bare to be in the same room as him as it hurt too much. Well 'it' didn't hurt too much but he hurt her too much. He knew he was wrong instantly as soon as he'd seen her retreat out of his house. He missed her immediately and he hadn't even run to the door to see if he could have salvaged anything from this sabotaged relationship.  
  
You said, "You caught me 'cause you want me and one day you'll let me go" You try to give away a keeper, or keep me  
  
'Cause you know you're just scared to lose  
  
And you say, "Stay."  
  
She knew him. She could see right through him and he knew it. She'd asked him if he just wanted her because he didn't want anyone else to have her or because he truly liked her. And he hadn't answered. He didn't know. Well, he did now but he hadn't then. He was in a no win situation. If he called her now she'd be too angry or too hurt to talk to him but if he didn't she'd be hurt that he hadn't. Words sprung to mind and simultaneously disappeared again once he realised how inappropriate they sounded. 'I'm sorry' just seemed like an empty promise. It needed more than that. She deserved more than that. But was he prepared to give it to her? Yes. He was. The song slowly reached its end and trailed off slowly with the words.  
  
  
  
You say I only hear what I want to  
  
He knew he'd let her down and he was determined to make it up to her. Reaching resolutely for his cell phone he used his heart to form a message to her. Technically it was too late to say this but it was what he wanted to say, the only thing he could say. A simple word but hopefully powerful enough to work.  
  
"Stay."  
  
  
  
If you liked this please tell me, as I'd be really happy to know! I know it's not great but if anyone has any constructive criticism so that I can make chapter 2 better then please give me the necessary feedback. Until next time sweeties =) XXX 


	2. I don't believe

Thank you for reviews on chapter 1. I hope this chapter is slightly better than the last. The song in the last chapter was Lisa Loeb - stay for anyone that wanted to know. Anyway I hope everyone had a great Christmas and here's chapter 2. The song in this chapter is Greenwheel - I don't believe.  
  
I don't believe.  
  
The rain lashed down against her car windscreen but she was both oblivious and unaware of it. Usually, it would have rejuvenated her heavy heart but tonight it left her weary, wanting. Wanting something that was unattainable. That something was Grissom. She'd just left his house and was driving aimlessly through Vegas, hoping to find something or someone to vent her frustrations on.  
  
She was incredibly perturbed tonight. Grissom knew she had feelings for him and she knew he felt the same so why did he continually hold her at arms length? It puzzled her. The radio station wasn't providing a good enough outlet of breaking up the anger she felt so as she halted at a stop sign she fed a CD into the player.  
  
I don't believe in anything  
  
She says to me  
  
And I don't believe that  
  
She cares for me  
  
And is it me that she loves  
  
Or is it someone else  
  
Cuz I've got to know  
  
Before I leave  
  
It was true. He hadn't listened to anything she'd said. He hadn't believed her when she said she wanted to be with him. She cared for him but he refused to believe it. But why? He had his reasons, obviously, but why didn't he share them with her? She could help him. But that was Grissom. He had feelings but he refused to share them with anyone. He seemed cold and heartless on the exterior and yet on the interior Sara knew there was something deep down. Something that prevented him from showing how he felt. Something that he either wouldn't or couldn't share for fear of showing an emotion or a feeling that he feared. Weakness.  
  
Is it the warmth in her touch  
  
Or the sweetness that's in her kiss  
  
My heart's tellin' me  
  
Never let go of this  
  
Is it the look in her eyes  
  
With a brightness that's in her smile  
  
Walk the world for her  
  
She couldn't walk me a mile  
  
She couldn't walk me a mile  
  
She'd held him close and whispered to him how much she cared for him. She'd kissed him gently on the lips but he hadn't returned her embrace, he'd left her lips lying idol on his own, not co-operating or caring whether it ended sooner or later. She'd felt neglected and stupid. Like a little school girl who'd foolishly shown her feelings only to have them discarded a minute later. She hoped that when she left he'd have cared enough to chase after her but he hadn't he'd watched her leave and then remained in his comfortable stance on the sofa, hoping she'd turn around and apologise. But she hadn't.  
  
A tug of the heart strings was all she wanted. Maybe for him to care enough to make her stay but he hadn't. He'd called her beautiful once and tonight she'd desperately wanted him to say it again to reassure her that she wasn't diving into the deep end and making a fool of herself. But he'd remained basically silent for the duration of her visit reaffirming the doubts that she'd had throughout the evening.  
  
She couldn't help but wonder why he'd alienated her. She listened to the lyrics intently and realised, 'she'd walk the world for him but he wouldn't walk her a mile.' Well not lately anyway. He just didn't care. He froze himself out and no one could thaw out his problems oly he could do that and that was assuming he wanted to.  
  
The days go past  
  
And the time slips away  
  
It happened all so fast  
  
I couldn't make her stay  
  
And all the memories she left  
  
Well, they rest in my head  
  
Sometimes I feel  
  
I'd be better off dead  
  
I'd be better off dead  
  
Time was indeed slipping away. Things were changing and Sara drastically wanted a change. Being stuck in a rut was not a situation Sara Sidle remained in for a long period of time and that time had come. She'd been offered a new job in Washington D.C as a senior CSI. A big promotion. But she didn't want to base her decision on Grissom regardless of whether it was him driving her away. She'd miss the team, obviously. They'd become more than friends they'd become family, but sometimes families need to expand and maybe, just maybe it was that time. But could she get over Grissom in time to go? The decision had to be given in a couple of days time and right now she couldn't decide one way or the other.  
  
Is it the warmth in her touch  
  
Or the sweetness that's in her kiss  
  
My heart's tellin' me  
  
Never let go of this  
  
Is it the look in her eyes  
  
With a brightness that's in her smile  
  
Walk the world for her  
  
She couldn't walk me a mile  
  
She couldn't walk me a mile  
  
She heard the beep long before she registered what it was. As she realised she'd just received a new text message she reached over to the passenger seat to grasp hold of her cell. As the car went over a pothole the cell dropped onto the floor of the vehicle. Sara took one last look at the road to check there were no other cars coming and reached down to retrieve the object.  
  
It only takes mere seconds to determine the difference between life and death and as she lost control of the car and it careered off the road into a tree it was only those mere seconds that were left. Hanging in limbo, they stuck around hovering like an unwanted spectre. Frightening and yet dangerously serene, these seconds hold your destiny. Created by God and acted upon by mortals, these seconds could go one way or the other. It was either your time or it wasn't, and right now no one could speculate as to which way the life of Sara Sidle was going to go.  
  
The only light in the car remained that of the cell, the message stating a request that now had 2 very different meanings. Stay.  
  
Ok this was slightly depressing but at least I'm trying! Ha ha! Anyway if you R&R this I thank you in advance for taking the time. Please tell me what you think as I'd really like to know. Hoping you all have a great Christmas. Until Next time sweets . =) XX 


	3. Lord, I've been trying

Thank you for the reviews of chapter 2. I know it was a bit depressing but it needed to be done as a foundation for the rest of the story. Maybe just maybe things aren't as they seem and maybe a crime has been committed ....... But you'll have to wait and see now won't you?! Chapter 3's song is Lord, I've been trying by Richard Ashcroft. Anyway enough said. I'll see if I can let the story do the talking.  
  
The car had been found by a local businessman in the early hours of the morning. He was shocked. The car was totalled, rolled into the ditch just off the road and despite this Sara was still alive. Barely. He'd called 911 and the ambulance had seemed to take an eternity in getting to the scene. Amazing how mere minutes feel like hours in an emergency. She'd been taken to the nearest hospital and upon arrival had been whisked immediately to surgery.  
  
A Mr. Conrad Ecklie was the first person to find out about Sara's accident. The hospital had found her CSI work badge in her jeans pocket and called him immediately. It was an hour before the end of the dayshift when Conrad heard the news. Picking up the phone he dialled an unfamiliar but necessary number.  
  
"Hello. You've reached the answer phone of Gil Grissom. As you can tell I'm not here so leave a message after the beep. BEEP."  
  
Damn, He hated leaving messages, but this was an emergency. "Gil I don't know if you've left for work already or what but this is an emergency. There's been an accident. Sara has been in a bad car accident and she's at the hospital. It doesn't look good at the moment Gil. I'm sorry to have to be the one to break it to you but I thought you'd prefer to know as soon as. Call me when you get this Grissom."  
  
Gil Grissom was blissfully unaware of his answer phone picking up the message. Gearing himself up for another day at the office he showered in steaming hot water trying to rid himself of last night's bad feeling. What was he going to say to Sara when he saw her? It just didn't bear thinking about. Would she be hurt? He didn't know. But contrary to popular belief, he did care, he had feelings he just never knew how to convey them.  
  
Drying himself off and doing the usual chores of cleaning his teeth and styling his hair he thought more on the matter. However, his brain felt listless and he gave up trying to make sense of what had happened. Making his way out of the bathroom he noticed a red light signalling a new message on his machine. Pressing the button he wandered around the room whilst the tape made the introductions.  
  
He'd never felt his blood run cold before. He'd never felt physically sick upon just hearing words but there's always a first or everything. Shaking he clasped hold of the phone and he dialled Ecklie. Tapping the back of the receiver impatiently he gritted his teeth wondering how seriously hurt she was.  
  
"Ecklie."  
  
Grissom snapped out of his thoughts. "Hello Conrad."  
  
"Grissom. You got my message I see. She's not in a good way Gil. Now, under any normal circumstances I wouldn't do this but these as you know by now aren't normal. Go to the hospital. As soon as the team arrive I'll personally give them the news."  
  
"Thank you Conrad. What information did the hospital give you?"  
  
"Well as soon as she reached the hospital they took her into surgery. I don't know if she's out of it now or not." Conrad was concerned. Grissom could just sense it.  
  
"Right. I better get to the hospital. Thanks again Ecklie." Grissom pressed the end button and threw the nearest clothes he could find on. Damn, this was all his fault. The journey to the hospital went past in a blur. Partly due to the situation Sara was in and partly because he was putting pedal to metal just to try and reach the hospital as quickly as possible. He parked his SUV haphazardly in a vacant hospital space and ran up to the entrance of the clinical building.  
  
The nurse gave him the information he wanted and he made his way to the ICU hoping to sidetrack a doctor and find out more. Upon reaching the ICU he found the halls completely empty. There wasn't a doctor to be seen. It was deathly quiet. So Grissom did the only thing that sheer desperation would allow. He wandered. He didn't know where he was going. He only knew once he'd sat down in one of the unoccupied pews of the hospital chapel. Grissom wasn't a man to pray but sometimes science can't give you the answers you need.  
  
Lord, I've been trying  
  
Trying to keep myself from crying  
  
And it gets hard, there's no use denying  
  
There's been some nights when I did a little lying  
  
He wasn't exactly sure what to do. He hadn't been to Church in a good number of years and it felt awkward being in one again. Albeit a makeshift one. He leant forward onto the pew in front and clasped his hands tightly together. Resting his chin on his hands he began to talk aloud.  
  
"God, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. You're probably surprised to see me but I know that Sara's in here because of me. It's my fault. If I hadn't pushed her away then she'd still be at my house alive and well. I know you have a plan for everyone but I'm kind of asking you to change yours for Sara. I don't even know if she's alive right now but I need you to keep her alive for me. She means the world to me and I couldn't stand it if she died. I can't imagine her not being in my life. So I guess what I'm saying is please don't take her away from me. I love her."  
  
The last words came as a surprise even to Grissom but he knew they were true. He did love her even though he didn't show it.  
  
Sure feels like I've been here before  
  
Yes it sure feels like I've been here before  
  
Captain tell me where I've been,  
  
Are there waves left there for me?  
  
Is there something left to see?  
  
Is there something left to be?  
  
Oh I know that I'm holding on but I've got time to grow  
  
Alright, alright, alright  
  
Said it's alright, now  
  
He sat silently on the pew for ages. Somehow going back up to ICU to find out if she was alive or dead seemed wrong, almost intrusive. Grissom would find out but now wasn't the time. He couldn't handle finding out if she'd died. Lost in thought he didn't hear the chapel doors open quietly, a pleasant creak coming from years of use as it opened. Locked up prayers escaping to the people in the wards. He didn't hear the footsteps as they came to rest behind him. He jumped a mile when the individual tapped him on the shoulder. Swivelling quickly around he came face to face with Nick.  
  
"I didn't mean to startle you Grissom." Nick said gently. He looked lost and forlorn, almost like he'd given up hope on finding out that Sara was alive.  
  
"It's ok. I was just ........ I was just......."  
  
"It's alright Gil I know what you were doing. Don't be ashamed. Prayer is powerful. Science can't tell you everything sometimes even the non- believers need a helping hand." He smiled at Grissom.  
  
"It's all my fault she's here Nick."  
  
"How?" Nick asked sceptically.  
  
"She came to my house last night. She told me she cared about me and I just pushed her away. She drove off in a temper and now she's lying here."  
  
"Grissom, It's not your fault. Accidents happen. Now we need to start having some hope because otherwise Sara might think we've given up on her."  
  
Days that I've been spending  
  
And all these blues - they're never ending  
  
And it gets hard, and life will go on again  
  
Gonna shake off these blues, I'm leaving them now  
  
Sure feels like I've been here before  
  
Yes it sure feels like I've been here before  
  
They made their way slowly back up to the ICU not wanting to know how Sara was doing. Well, they did but sometimes you just fear that if you ask you'll jinx it. They sat in the hard, uncomfortable plastic chairs of the waiting room and waited and waited for someone who could help alleviate their worry. Catherine and Warrick arrived soon after and sat opposite them keeping the immense silence intact. Greg and Brass arrived a little later and tried to cajole a passing nurse into giving them information. Instead she promised a doctor would be out ASAP. They all felt helpless sat in silence and twiddling their thumbs whilst Sara lay in limbo between this life and the next.  
  
All were on alert for when the doctor came in and eventually she did. Her nametag introduced her as Dr. Stenning and as she approached the team they all held their breath in unison.  
  
"Hello, you must be the friends of Sara that nurse Fields told me about."  
  
Grissom nodded, his mouth dry with fear and anticipation.  
  
"She's alive and in a stable condition at present. She's had surgery to her lower abdomen but as you probably know the first 24 hours are crucial to see if it was a success."  
  
"Can we see her?" Brass managed to croak out. His gravely voice giving way to some form of emotion.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Not yet anyway. Maybe tomorrow but right now we want to keep her as isolated as possible. We don't want any germs getting in and causing possible infection." The young doctor smiled at the team trying to reassure them and she briefly touched Grissom on the arm. A touch that gave across the impression everything would be fine but hidden thoughts and concerns were concealed behind it.  
  
Dr. Stenning left with a flick of her blond hair as Warrick watched her as her slim form moved further and further away. It felt so illusory, so unreal, it was like a dream or rather a nightmare under the circumstances. The silence reigned for a further hour or two after the announcement and finally some of the team managed to fall asleep in the waiting room.  
  
Grissom couldn't. He tried to find Dr. Stenning and once he had he asked if he could watch Sara through her window. She agreed seeing how much emotional pain Grissom was in and showed him to the room. The glass pane that separated them, the glass pane that shut off Sara from the outside world. Grissom placed himself on a chair just outside the window and soon after fell asleep, emotionally drained after the day.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* His dream like state registered the whining noise, the siren like racket but it didn't disturb him from his slumber. His subconscious didn't realise how serious it could be. As the doctors rushed past into a room, someone was dying and Grissom had no idea who.................  
  
I know I know it's still depressing but you'll just have to wait and see as to where this story is off to. Let's just say there may have been a crime committed. =)! Anyway, please R&R as you don't realise how much approval of my writing means to me! Until next time tinkerbell signing off ..... =) XX 


	4. Easy Way to Cry

I'm feeling in such a fantastic mood today that I'm going to inject some well-needed and overdue happiness into this fanfic. Do I hear cries of 'at last!' Lol. However, I don't really right happiness so it might have gone to pot by the end of the chapter. After this chapter I'm taking a little break from writing because I think I suck at it and I need to improve so before I inflict anymore pain on you through my writing I thought I'd take a break. The song is David Gray - Easy way to cry. Anyway, I'll see if I an get through this chapter first.  
  
Grissom awoke to silence, unusual considering the frantic hustle and bustle that had been in front of him merely 15 minutes ago. Rubbing his eyes slowly with the heels of his hands he tried to erase some of the tiredness he felt. It took him a minute or two to focus and for the grogginess to leave him but when he did he jumped up from his chair with a start.  
  
Smoke curls through my hands  
  
These one night stands  
  
Are making me crazy I know  
  
Morning I'll go  
  
Crowds in the rain all passing by  
  
Faith gone from your eyes  
  
Each word it flies  
  
Taking you further away  
  
And come that day  
  
There ain't no easy way to cry  
  
And as I watch you leave I stand  
  
Inside my house of straw  
  
And everywhere I go I find  
  
Things recollecting to my mind  
  
How right it all could be  
  
Faith gone from your eyes  
  
Each word it flies  
  
Straight to the heart and I know  
  
Watching you go  
  
There ain't no easy way to cry  
  
So right now  
  
So right now  
  
So right now  
  
And as I watch you leave I stand  
  
Inside my house of straw  
  
And everywhere I go I find  
  
Things recollecting to my mind  
  
How right it all could be  
  
Could be  
  
Where was Sara? Her bed was vacant and a nurse was in there changing the sheets for the next unfortunate individual unlucky enough to grace the ICU. But where was she? Grissom rushed into the room his sentences erratic and rushed.  
  
"Where?" He pointed at the bed. "Sara. Where?"  
  
The nurse looked at him with an obvious expression of sympathy. Then she smiled. "Sir, calm down. Ms Sidle has been taken to another ward. She came to and the beds were needed." Grissom was shocked at her bluntness; life inside of a hospital was like that though. You saw stuff that made up nightmares, but you couldn't be affected by it.  
  
"Which Ward?"  
  
"A friend of yours is waiting for you in the waiting room. He'll take you to where Ms Sidle is now."  
  
"Thank you." He intended his gratitude to sound more sincere but it came out as a murmur. He needed to see Sara and needed to apologise. He walked briskly around the corner to where his 'friend' was and was greeted by Brass.  
  
"How is she Brass?" He couldn't contain the question any longer. It had been burning in his throat since he'd first seen her bed empty.  
  
Brass seemed to dodge the question with his reply. "Well, the hospital needed another bed. There was a bus crash down on the strip. The person in the room next to Sara's died this morning. We all heard the life support machine and the rushing doctors and we thought the worst."  
  
"How is she?" Grissom had listened impatiently as Brass avoided his question but he persistently stuck to it.  
  
"It's not good Gil, but on the other hand a lot better than any of us could have expected. It's a miracle she's even here. It's a bit of a shock when you see her there are lots of tubes and wires connected up to her." He was speaking slowly to Grissom as if he were a child but really just trying to cushion the blow. Brass placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder, pushing him forward gently. The room was filled with the rest of the team when Grissom arrived and they shrouded his view of Sara; but they quickly parted when they saw him approaching. Brass was right it was a shock.  
  
He couldn't pick out her eyes from the heavy bruising on her face and her forehead was patched together with stitches and bandages. Her arm was attached to several different tubes the most prominent being a drip; she lay listless her one leg in plaster. He felt his hands shaking and saw the black spots starting to appear in his vision and knew he had to go. He couldn't talk to her now. He'd waited this long to say how sorry he was and yet he couldn't do it.  
  
He basically ran out of the hospital avoiding the calls of Brass behind him. He couldn't stay. Even if he wanted to something told him he had to leave. Sara was in a mess and there was only one person she'd blame for that. Grissom.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Back at the hospital Nick was trying to make sense of Sara's whispers. Brass had left upon having a phone call from the local tow company. Catherine and Warrick had followed Brass in the vein hope of catching up with Grissom.  
  
"Bakes? What are you trying to say Sara?"  
  
She closed her eyes again wincing at the pain each blink caused. She really didn't have the energy to do this. She just wanted to sleep for a week and wake up and be fixed. Unrealistic but a girl can dream can't she? Grimacing she forced out slightly more than the hoarse whisper she had before.  
  
"Brakes failed."  
  
Ok that's me done for a while. Hope you enjoyed and well if you didn't I wouldn't blame you. Until next time loadsa love tinx =) XXX 


	5. Shotgun

Thank you for the encouragement in your last reviews I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. My new years resolutions are as follows: - I intend to become a better writer and thanks to fawkes21 I'm going to try not to be too hard on myself! I thought I'd thank you personally fawkes21 because you're one of few people who have kept me writing and without you I would have given up. Anyway, I decided to see if I could crack on and finish this story and maybe add another chapter to What if. The song in this chapter is 'shotgun' by Ida. Chapter 5.  
  
~ Shotgun ~  
  
~ Like glass shattering in a clean break This is the art of a mistake ~  
  
Grissom had been driving for an hour or so, completely unaware of the developments back at the hospital. He'd turned off his cell and pager and had become incommunicado for the day, much to the annoyance of the team. Nick had heard Sara right. He knew he had. His reason for being so sure was that the tow company had noticed something in a routine inspection of the vehicle. The brakes had completely failed due to the brake cables being broken, which meant even if Sara had tried to stop the car it wouldn't have made a difference.  
  
What further disturbed Nick was that Sara's SUV had recently had its MOT and nothing had been found wrong with it. Nick smelt a rat and he hated it when the rat seemed to be involved with one of his friends. Nick needed to find Grissom now. Grissom needed to get his mind back into the big picture instead of dwelling on it being his fault. Grissom could help Sara by catching the SOB who might have fiddled with her car. But to be sure a thorough investigation of the SUV had to be carried out and the sooner the better.  
  
Catherine and Warrick had already arrived back at the lab knowing the breaking news. They'd had no luck in finding Grissom in any of his regular haunts and time was of the essence. The SUV had arrived at the lab 15 minutes ago, mostly due to the insistence of Brass, and work needed to be done. Donning overalls and tools they made their way down to the car lot and searched for the SUV.  
  
It was shocking to see how much of a mess it was in. Warrick and Catherine simultaneously came to a silent conclusion, how did she ever get out alive? And it was true. The windscreen was smashed and only a diamond pattern remained in the bottom left hand corner the rest was mere fragments and a vicious reminder of what had happened. The front fender was bent making her license plate unrecognisable and the left side window and wing mirror were both missing. From the back of the vehicle you'd never have thought there'd been an accident. Or could you?  
  
The taillight puzzled both of the CSI's. It was smashed in, which completely contradicted the way the accident had happened. It could have been broken in the impact but it was unlikely, very unlikely. Speaking for the first time since they had started the inspection Warrick voiced his suspicions.  
  
"Something smells fishy around here."  
  
"I know it does. The car has a broken taillight and it was the front that went bang into a tree. So there are two important questions here. Why is the taillight broken and why isn't it in the pre lim report we received?"  
  
"Unless it was done AFTER she crashed. Or maybe it was what the cause of her going off the road. It's possible isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah it's possible," Catherine sighed and pushed her auburn hair away from her hair. "In which case we don't have an accident."  
  
"No we don't. We've got to look at the brakes first though. Nick said Sara told him the brakes had failed."  
  
"Yeah lets do that first then we'll come back to the taillight."  
  
They expertly manoeuvred around each other hoisting the car up onto a platform to check the under carriage of the vehicle.  
  
~ And we were like kids with a shotgun Blowing up words 'til there were none ~  
  
"There's your culprit." Warrick announced both triumphantly and annoyed.  
  
"But hang on, The way she was going has several stop signs, I should know I've taken that route so many times. If the brake cables had been cut completely then she wouldn't have been able to stop rendering that theory useless."  
  
"Not really. Think about it. What happens if you cut slightly in to a shoelace the more you use it the less time it takes to ."?  
  
"Snap," she interjected. "So what you're saying here is that someone made a slight cut into the brake cables and the more she braked whilst driving the more they broke and therefore eventually snapped."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But surely she would have felt it?"  
  
"Not necessarily."  
  
"What are you the Britannica encyclopaedia of cars?"  
  
Warrick raised a laugh. "No I worked at a garage in college. It helped pay off a few bills."  
  
"That explains it. Now get back to the why she might not have felt them snapping."  
  
"Well," he began matter-of-factly. "If she hadn't braked before hitting the tree then they might have snapped before which is a totally different theory. But if she did brake just before going into to tree they could have snapped and increased speed on impact. She wouldn't have felt it because of the impact anyway."  
  
Catherine looked at him clearly impressed. "Well done, I think we might have a case. One problem."  
  
"Proving it." He finished her sentence off for her.  
  
~ And maybe I'm too young Thought I could destroy it Aimed, shot and fired missed the target ~  
  
They worked meticulously for over an hour being careful not to miss any vital piece of evidence from underneath the car. Then they retrieved the car from its position above them and started work inside and around the vehicle, working front to back. Then they got to the taillight mystery once again. Catherine took a few pieces of evidence up to trace and came back down just after Warrick had a smug look of satisfaction on his face.  
  
~ But you keep coming back Hand me fractured words Through the lens of time And some things can't be burned Even when they yearn to die ~  
  
"What are you looking so smug about?"  
  
"I think I've just got a lead."  
  
  
  
I'm not exactly a car expert so to any of you who are I apologise for my poor knowledge. Thank you to people who have reviewed I hope this chapter has been alright and that you have enjoyed it. Until next time everybody.. =) XX 


	6. Missing

Firstly, thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. Secondly I've just had a fantastic new idea for a Catherine based story, which I'm smiling about. Thirdly, I'm going to shut up and get on with the chapter! Chapter 6.  
  
"What's the lead then?" Catherine asked genuinely intrigued.  
  
"That'd be telling now wouldn't it?" He smiled at her flirtatiously and swept past his colleague.  
  
"Warrick!" Her tone of voice was threatening but the smile lat lay idol on her lips conveyed otherwise.  
  
"Ok ok. We weren't sure why the taillight was broken right?"  
  
"Yes I'm aware of this, get to the good stuff."  
  
"Ok fine. I just found fragments of headlight glass in the broken remnants of the taillight. Call me Sherlock but I think that's a lead."  
  
"Good work, Get it up to trace and see what they can do." Catherine affirmed finally happy that something was coming together. "We just need to find Grissom now."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trace confirmed that yes it was fragments of a headlight that had been recovered from Sara's SUV and although suspicious they could not deduce anything else from this discovery. Catherine read the results, angry and disappointed at the same time. She needed a break through and she needed it now. She needed Grissom to turn up so that he could tell them what to do but searches by uniforms Brass had sent out had returned unproductive and fruitless.  
  
Brass had spent the evening trying to clasp hold of rapidly fraying ropes that metaphorically speaking would have been leads. Despite his, Catherine's and Warrick's efforts it was Nick who came up with the goods in more ways than one.  
  
Slamming through the double doors at the end of the corridor it looked like he was carrying something heavy. But getting closer Greg suddenly realised it wasn't something it was someone. Grissom to be precise.  
  
"Nick where'd you find him?" Greg asked concerned, looking at the snoring, drunk, man with anguish.  
  
"In a bar just off the strip. He is smashed. I've never seen him like this before. I was trying to keep him awake but I lost the battle."  
  
"I'm not surprised. Let's get him into the break room and try and sober him up before Ecklie sees him."  
  
Nick looked at his friend slightly confused. Greg took hold under Grissom's other arm and helped Nick to carry him to the break room. "Ecklie's coming in to check on our progress on the case in about 2 hours time. Some loud mouth shouted off that Grissom had gone missing and now Conrad is on his way down. By the sounds of it he's on the war path."  
  
"Damn. We need to sober him up now." Setting him down gruffly on to the worn sofa, Greg turned around to make some fresh coffee.  
  
"He's taking this badly."  
  
"Wouldn't you be? He blames himself."  
  
"But he shouldn't." Greg settled himself down next to his boss and smiled at the irony. Greg could have imagined this situation the other way round but somehow trying to sober Grissom up seemed somehow amusing to the young lab tech. "I'm going to have to leave this in your capable hands for a minute or two. My tests should be finishing and I really want to know if there's a lead."  
  
Nick nodded and with a quick smile at Greg he turned his attentions once more to his boss. Somehow this night was getting longer and longer........  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grissom now awake and slightly more sober than before, Nick took his chance to go find Catherine. He had a good lead and he didn't want to wait another second before sharing it. Eventually spotting her auburn hair he raced after her calling her name.  
  
"Nick? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. I think I've got our first lead."  
  
"Make that second." Catherine filled him in on the taillight vs. headlight lead and Nick smiled at the progress.  
  
"I think this one might prove to be slightly larger though. Now if the brake cables were cut then it would have had to have been in the last three days right?"  
  
Catherine thought for a moment. "Yeah I suppose so."  
  
"No, trust me I do have a point. It has to be within the last three days because that's when Sara got her car back from the MOT place right?"  
  
"Right." Catherine affirmed.  
  
"Wrong." Nick smiled at Catherine his dimples becoming increasingly noticeable. They always did when he was onto something. "I just heard from Brass that the guy who worked on Sara's car has a criminal record. We should check him out. IT might turn out to be bogus but we've got nothing else to go at the minute."  
  
"What was the record for?" Catherine asked.  
  
Handing over the file he motioned for her to come with him. She followed her head stuck down into the file thankful once again for the new lead. She looked up momentarily and didn't recognise the person on the sofa. Was it even a person? Yes and unfortunately it seemed to be a very drunk person. Shaking her head she turned to Nick. "Leave him to sleep it off. Come on lets go."  
  
Nick drove to the garage a little quicker than he should have. It was a long shot that this guy would still be at the small time garage but it was worth a try. When this endeavour produced nothing they drove over to the man's house. The lights were all off and the stark streetlights cast eerie and atavistic shadows onto the worn down suburban house.  
  
Nick thought it was worth a try so he got out of his vehicle and walked up to the front door. Ringing the doorbell unrelentingly eventually he gave up on not receiving an answer. So quiet was the neighbourhood that it made Nick jump when his cell rang.  
  
"Get back to the lab now." The voice was barely audible a hushed whisper but recognisable as Greg.  
  
"What's wrong Greg?" Nick asked quietly even though no one could hear him. Stepping back inside the vehicle he looked at Catherine with a bemused look.  
  
"Well I've got good and bad news." Not waiting for his colleagues to answer, which one they wanted first he leapt ahead with the conversation. "Bad news is that Ecklie's here and Grissom's still drunk as a skunk throwing up in the bathroom. Luckily Ecklie hasn't found him. Yet. Good news is I think I've definitely got our first real lead."  
  
Nick smiled everyone had the 'first lead'. "Make that third buddy and we're making our way back now." Clicking off his cell he noticed something in the distance. He looked again. Yes, it was definitely there and it looked like someone running.  
  
"Stay here." Nick said in a hushed whisper.  
  
"Don't give me that macho BS." Putting a hand on her gun she continued. "I'm a better shot than you and you know it. I'm coming with you."  
  
Stepping out of the vehicle with as little noise as possible they ran quickly around to where they'd last seen the running shadow.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Grissom whatever you do stay in here. Do you hear me?" Greg said as quietly but as angrily as he could manage.  
  
"Greg, I'm drunk not stupid." Somehow Grissom found this hilarious and burst into a fit of giggles. Greg clasped a hand over his mouth and looked around anxiously. Thankfully no one was here to hear or see their supervisor in this kind of state. Reluctantly, Greg left Grissom in the toilet and pasted a smile onto his face and went outside to face Ecklie. This was going to need all of his theatrics to pull this one off.  
  
"Hello Conrad."  
  
"Hello Gregory." Greg scowled. Yes Gregory was his name but he hated it. If he could have growled at the older man he would have but he needed to pull this off so that Ecklie would leave.  
  
"You don't need to worry now Warrick found Grissom. He was at the hospital." Greg had got an A+ in Drama class once he just hoped his 'talent' hadn't deserted him.  
  
"Oh right well I still have to see him if that's alright."  
  
"I'm sorry you can't at the moment. He's working with Warrick on a lead at present. Can I take a message for you?"  
  
"No it's alright I'll just get him on his cell." Greg's eyes opened with horror. Damn he hadn't thought of that. He just hoped Grissom's phone was still off like it had been earlier. Thankfully as Ecklie dialled the numbers and waited it seemed that yes it was switched off. Greg silently cheered in his head it looked like he'd be able to pull this off after all.  
  
"If you don't mind I think I'll use the bathroom before I go though." Damn why was Ecklie innocently finding everything that Greg was guiltily trying to hide.  
  
"I do mind actually." Theatrics were his last hope. "The cleaner has only just been in there and I don't think she'd appreciate you mucking up her clean loo. Now if you don't mind use your own loo at home." Greg faked a look of seriousness and as Ecklie looked at Greg half amused half concerned for the mental state of the young man stood before him he started to walk away. Shaking his head he said under his breath just loud enough for Greg to hear, "that kid needs a cat scan."  
  
As soon as Ecklie was out of sight Greg rushed to the toilet huffing a huge sigh of relief. His eyes opened wider at the sight before him as he drew in a sharp gasp of air....................  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nick held a finger to his lips, motioning silently for Catherine to be quieter. The figure was a couple of metres away and Nick was watching him eagerly. His heart racing he jumped out from behind the bush they'd been hiding behind.  
  
"Freeze!"  
  
The figure jumped in fright and managed to trip over their own feet landing with an enormous thud on the ground. Nick quickly paced over to where the stranger was and realised with horror that the 'stranger' was in fact Brass.  
  
"Brass what the hell are you doing here?" Catherine asked slightly amused at the situation.  
  
"This guy isn't who we need to talk to. But one of his buddies is. Someone was going round the back of the house via the alleyway and I was following them now I've lost them." Brass spat out. Nick hopped over Brass at this point and ran up the alleyway. Catherine reached down quietly and helped to pick the older man up from the concrete. Suddenly something broke the silence between the pair.  
  
It was an unmistakable sound.  
  
Someone had just been shot.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Grissom!" What was this guy Houdini? He'd disappeared for the second time in 24 hours. He wasn't in the toilet where Greg had left him and a quick check of the surrounding corridors and rooms had provided Greg with nothing more than concern. Damn it why couldn't that man just do as he was told. As if by magic a thought popped into Greg's head. Warrick was still here. He could help him look for the missing boss.  
  
Making his way down to the car lot where Sara's SUV was being held his eyes strained to focus in the dimly lit room.  
  
"Hello?" He whispered.  
  
"Yeah over here." Someone whispered back.  
  
"Is that you Warrick?" Greg asked spotting a silhouette across from him.  
  
"Who else do you think it is? Has Ecklie gone?"  
  
"Yeah but Grissom's gone missing again."  
  
"No he hasn't."  
  
"Ok explain now Warrick." Switching the lights on and startling Greg, Warrick squinted in the newly formed illuminated room. "You could've warned me there man." Greg rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Sorry, Grissom hasn't disappeared. I retrieved him from the toilets where you left him. I lift weights," Warrick emphasised and pointed at the sleeping supervisor in the corner, "But that was hard work."  
  
Greg heaved a sigh of relief. "I can't thank you enough although now Ecklie thinks I need a cat scan." He put on a mock face of worry and walked over to Grissom. Slapping him lightly on the face he said, "We need to sober you up man."  
  
A voice came from behind the crouched pair. "I wouldn't bother."  
  
  
  
I know it was a long chapter but once I started writing I couldn't stop! Please review, as I would really like to hear any of your feedback or ideas. Until next time load of love tinx . =) XX 


	7. I'm with you

Hello again! Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter much appreciated. The song in this chapter is Avril Lavigne - I'm with you. Chapter 7.  
  
Chapter 7 - I'm with you.  
  
Damn. They'd nearly pulled it off. The voice was familiar and looking at each other with disappointment and a slight amount of horror, they turned to face Ecklie.  
  
"Look, It's not his fault." Greg tried to defend his boss but Ecklie raised a hand, a sign for Greg to stop talking.  
  
"It is his fault. What do you think you were doing hiding him like that?"  
  
Greg and Warrick remained silent, feeling like they were children being scorned for stealing the last cookie. Eventually Greg voiced his burning question.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Well, you're normally strange but the whole speech about the toilets upstairs, that even surpasses your usual standards. After I walked around the corner I stopped and then came back and followed you down here. I still think you need a cat scan even though I know the truth."  
  
"What's going to happen to him now?" Warrick asked, fearing the worst for the now sleeping Grissom.  
  
"I should suspend his ass. However."  
  
"There's a however?" Greg squeaked out hopefully.  
  
"Yes. However, I know he's been taking the whole thing with Sara really badly and this was probably his only way of coping. However."  
  
"Another one?" Greg squeaked out again.  
  
"Do you ever let anyone finish a sentence?" Ecklie asked exasperated. Greg nodded and stared down at his feet embarrassed. "However, you get Grissom out of here and home and sober him up. Let him get some sleep and then bring him into my office tomorrow morning. I think we need a chat."  
  
Warrick and Greg followed the instructions absorbing each detail and then as Ecklie walked out of the room they hoisted Grissom over one shoulder each and guided him out of the CSI HQ. Greg drove them to Grissom's house in his car, all the while Warrick tried to keep Grissom awake and eventually it seemed he was winning the battle. Using Grissom's keys to open the door they managed to heave him onto the sofa in the clinical looking living room.  
  
Plying him with water and black coffee for an hour seemed to do the trick and satisfied that Grissom was on the mend, Greg and Warrick left him to sleep off the rest. Driving back to the lab they didn't realise how much they were going to need their boss right now.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Catherine left Brass to make his own way up from the floor and ran around into the dark alleyway. She found it completely deserted bar a few cats and trash cans. Reaching for her gun and flicking out in front of her she followed where she thought the sound had come from. A back yard gate was slightly ajar and she burst in running on fear and adrenaline simultaneously. Her eyes opened wide at the sight before her, she was shocked and scared at exactly the same time. There were 2 bodies lying on the stone path in front of her. The night air was so soft and serene, silent to the point of non-existence that Catherine felt intrusive just breathing. In fact she couldn't breathe. The one body on the floor was of a complete stranger, the other was Nick. Snapping back into reality mode she bent down next to her co-worker and pressed her fingers heavily onto his throat. Silently praying for a pulse she was relieved when she found one.  
  
He was unconscious and bleeding heavily from the head other than that she couldn't see any other wounds. So if he wasn't the one who was shot. Who was? However, she reasoned this question could wait. Nick was her priority right now and slapping his cheeks lightly she tried relentlessly to wake him from his unconscious slumber. She heard footsteps and still on edge she grasped her gun once again, only to be faced with Brass.  
  
Surveying the scene in front of him, Brass flicked his cell expertly from his suit pocket. Tapping numbers furiously into the Nokia, Catherine tuned out after hearing 911. Nick still wasn't waking up and Catherine was starting to worry. Pulling Nick onto her lap she rested his head on her knees as she applied pressure to his wound. She winced at the look of it; Nick on the other hand must be in sheer agony.  
  
After finishing his phone call, Brass made his way over to the second body that lay before them on the path. Rolling over the body he found the rogue bullet. Turning to Catherine he asked, "What the hell happened here?" Little did he know his question was about to be answered in full.  
  
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Greg's pager beeped just before Warrick's, the message was pure and simple, 'CALL ME.' Looking at each other with worried expressions occupying both of their faces, Warrick searched to the end of the message to retrieve the number. He dialled it anxiously and before Brass could say hello Warrick barked out, "What's wrong?"  
  
"We've got a situation." Giving Warrick a summary of the main story he gave him the address and told him to call for more back up. Putting pedal to the metal, Greg quickly found his way to the address given. Barely parking the car, both Warrick and Greg ran quickly over to Nick's empty one. Looking at each other once more, they ran into the alleyway, enveloped in its darkness.  
  
Adjusting to the darkness quickly they raced around to the back of the suburban houses until they found the open back gate and sped inside. Nick was lying on Catherine's knees whilst she tried to make him regain consciousness, whereas Brass had disappeared. With the trained eye of a CSI Warrick noticed something extremely odd about the scene. Both Nick and the other body were facing away from the house. They were running away from whatever or whoever was inside. And now Brass had gone in.  
  
Without an explanation he ran quickly into the house drawing his gun, he turned back momentarily motioning for Greg to move Catherine and the listless Nick out into the alleyway. Greg, doing as he was told, helped lift Nick and together Catherine and himself managed to move the muscular Texan. Warrick satisfied they were far enough away turned back and taking a deep breath he walked briskly into the house.  
  
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Waking up Grissom came to the conclusion that hangovers indeed sucked. His head, surprisingly not spinning after last night, managed to come to rather quickly. Finding his way slowly to the kitchen he retrieved a glass from the cupboard and ran it slowly under the faucet, watching it fill with water. He gulped it down and poured himself another glass. He was so thirsty. Probably due to the huge dehydration that he'd inflicted upon himself he deduced. Turning round to avoid the glare of sunlight through his window he noticed a tatty piece of paper attached to his fridge.  
  
"HEY GRISSOM, YOU WERE SMASHED LAST NIGHT SO WE BROUGHT YOU HOME ON ECKLIE'S ORDERS."  
  
He stopped reading momentarily Ecklie saw him in that state last night. Shit.  
  
"DON'T WORRY HE'S NOT SUSPENDING YOU HE JUST WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU IN HIS OFFICE AT 5 THIS MORNING. HOPE THE HANGOVER'S NOT TOO BAD. SEE YOU AT THE LAB . GREG =)"  
  
For once, Grissom actually appreciated Greg. Or at least his note. It was 9 now, he needed to get ready ASAP.  
  
At 4.45 exactly Grissom left the house in haste, trying to remember the last time Ecklie and himself had had a meeting. He couldn't remember a time that wasn't about something trivial like a rota etc. Finding his way into the lab a couple of minutes early he settled himself with a cup of coffee and found his way to Ecklie's office. Barely seating himself onto the deceptively comfortable leather recliner he was summoned inside. Breathing deeply he prepared himself for the Spanish inquisition ahead. Little did he know there would be a detour to the suspected conversation.  
  
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The sound was unrecognisable but as Warrick fumbled through the darkness of the house, he became more and more fearful of what he might find. The sound began to get nearer and nearer and he finally identified the sound coming from what he assumed was the master bedroom. Slowly turning the handle and pushing it open with his foot he slid slowly around the door whilst fumbling for a light switch. He heard the sound clear as a bell now and it sounded like someone kicking something and more frighteningly the muffled sounds of someone gagged. And Warrick had a good idea who it was. Suddenly the light switched on and momentarily startled, Warrick found it hard to adjust to the light.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Warrick was shocked at the gruff greeting, but was even more shocked to see a woman standing next to the newly illuminated window. Did that voice really just come from her?  
  
"Tell me who you are first and I may think about answering."  
  
"I don't think you're in any position to argue with me. Your friend." she stopped and pointed towards Brass tied up in the corner. "tried to argue with me and now he's going to pay the price. I presume you don't want to join him?"  
  
Warrick nodded, unsure of what else to do. "Now I asked you a question, answer it." The woman stepped up right next to Warrick and he felt something prodding his chest. Looking down anxiously he realised how stupid he was to be arguing. This woman obviously had problems otherwise what the hell was she doing holding a gun to his chest?  
  
"I'm Warrick Brown, Miss. I work for the Las Vegas Crime lab."  
  
"Ahh, so my efforts aren't entirely wasted." Warrick was now extremely confused and ignoring his better judgement he said, "Excuse me?"  
  
"My efforts to get someone here aren't entirely wasted." Warrick felt a vibration in his trouser pocket and realised with a start that it was his cell. He quickly reached into his pocket and switched it off, just before she noticed what he was doing.  
  
"Who did you want to get here? May I ask." Warrick continued. If he could keep this woman talking then hopefully the back up uniforms that he'd called for would arrive soon.  
  
"I doubt you recognise me do you? Well, you wouldn't you didn't work on my case. I believe that was investigated by Mr. Gil Grissom and a Ms. Sara Sidle."  
  
Suddenly Warrick began to feel nauseous. This conversation was heading in a dangerous direction and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Where were those uniforms?  
  
"Who are you miss?"  
  
"I am. No I think I'll save the fun for later. Right now we need to get you settled with you friend over here." She flicked the gun to point at the chair next to Brass' and Warrick sat down reluctantly. Back outside the case was taking a turn for the better.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Come on Nick!" he still hadn't woken up and Catherine, now in a state of extreme concern, was beginning to cry. Slowly but surely Nick's eyes fluttered open and his face crumpled up into a severe frown. Being relieved Catherine cried even more whilst Greg moved in closer to his best friend.  
  
"What happened in there man?"  
  
Nick tried to remember, it was all so blurry. There were fragments he could remember so he thought he's spill them out as he remembered them.  
  
"I chased the man around to the house and inside and just as I caught him someone came out of nowhere and sliced me over the head with something. We both ran out of the house but they got him and he fell over and crushed me. I must've passed out then."  
  
"Did you see them?"  
  
"No it was too dark. He must've been waiting in the dark for us."  
  
"It wasn't a he. I had a lead back at the lab. Trace missed like the biggest piece of evidence in the case, or of the century. They should be shot. I mean they."  
  
"Greg!" Catherine interjected. "Get on with it."  
  
"Sorry, well, there was a skin epithelial on the headlight, I think someone must have tried to get it back out of the taillight so that there was no proof. Anyway, unless your Male has miraculously grown an extra X chromosome then we ain't dealing with a he here. I did some DNA tests on the epithelial and we're dealing with a very familiar women. Casey Donahugh."  
  
"The one who we got for murdering her boyfriend right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"But why is she after Sara?"  
  
"Sara and Grissom worked on her case. Sara was the one who found the technicality on which she was put away for. I would say Casey hasn't forgiven her."  
  
"Then Warrick and Brass are in there with her and she might be armed." Removing her coat and placing it gently under Nick's head, she lowered him down onto the asphalt and started to get up.  
  
"Where are you going Catherine?" Greg asked worry spreading over his face.  
  
"I'm going in."  
  
"Catherine don't be stupid. You have to stay with Nick. Give me your gun and I'll go in."  
  
"You couldn't shoot a black hole Greg. Stop with the macho man crap and stay with Nicky here. Keep him talking." With that she quickly sprinted back inside the yard. Seconds later the clitter-clatter of her heels ceased and Greg knew she'd gone inside. Great, He thought to himself, just great. What the hell do I do now?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grissom wasn't really listening to Ecklie although he knew he should be. He'd tuned out when Conrad had started on the 'code of conduct' rules. But now he had to snap back into reality again and at least pretend to listen. Twenty minutes had passed and yet Ecklie still looked like he wasn't finished. Drumming his fingers gently on the arm of his chair Grissom tried with all his might to concentrate and eventually it paid off, just in time to hear the shock statement of the century.  
  
"Grissom, I know that you've been taking this Sara thing hard lately and I don't begrudge you trying to deal with it. What I don't like is when your rat arsed on duty. Now I know your probably not feeling too clever this morning so that's why I'm giving you the day off to go see Sara. I know you haven't seen her in 2 days so something must be wrong. I suggest you go fix whatever you broke."  
  
Overwhelmed by Ecklie's sudden burst of generosity, Grissom thanked the man profusely and then set about driving to the hospital. Switching on the radio he tried to drown out his thought.  
  
~*~ I'm standing on the bridge, I'm waiting in the dark, I thought that you'd be here by now, There's nothing but the rain, No footsteps on the ground I'm listening but there's no sound. Isn't anyone trying to find me? Won't somebody come take me home? ~*~  
  
Sara loved Avril Lavigne. Well not in that way, but she loved her music. Grissom had never really seen the fascination but suddenly he gave into the charming melody that surrounded him.  
  
~*~ I'm with you. ~*~  
  
Grissom wished he was with Sara right now. He was only minutes from the hospital but suddenly even that seemed too long. He needed to be next to her, to tell her that he loved her and he was sorry for everything. That was when his cell rang. Stuck in traffic he decided he could probably answer it before he had to go again.  
  
"Grissom,"  
  
"Hello Mr. Grissom. This is David Greatly from the Washington Crime labs. I'm calling you for a reference of a Ms. Sara Sidle."  
  
"I'm sorry you must be mistaken. Sara hasn't applied for a new job."  
  
"I'm afraid she has Mr. Grissom. Well, she didn't so much apply for it as we headhunted her. She seemed keen."  
  
"Look I'm really sorry but this is a bad time for me. Can you call me back tomorrow?" With that Grissom pressed the end call button and dropped the cell onto the passenger seat. What was going on here?  
  
~*~ It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand  
  
Take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are but I  
  
I'm with you  
  
I'm looking for a place  
  
I'm searching for a face  
  
Is anybody here I know  
  
Cause nothing's going right  
  
And everything's a mess  
  
And no one likes to be alone ~*~  
  
Was Sara leaving him? How long ago had she decided? If it wasn't for the accident would she have left already? Suddenly like a flooded engine, Grissom's mind failed to function. He'd overloaded on thoughts and questions and now as he made his way into the hospital car lot, for the first time in a long while, he didn't know what to do. Psyching himself up he told himself that Ecklie had given him the day off for this he'd better make it count. Shaking his head lightly and loosening up the tightened and tense muscles in his neck he stepped out of the SUV.  
  
Huffing out a short breath of air he walked purposefully towards the entrance. In a complete daze he found his own way to Sara's ward, his subconscious guiding him whilst his brain tried to summon two meaningful sentences together.  
  
On arriving at her room, he suddenly felt the urge to turn away but he realised if he did he'd never say the things he needed to say. Breathing deeply he stepped into the hospital room. She looked slightly better than the other day, and despite her bruises Grissom still thought she looked beautiful.  
  
"Hi," he managed to croak out. Way to go Gil, he thought to himself.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sara replied.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"No WE don't. You do. I don't know what's going on with you Grissom but I can't help you unless you want to be and right now I can feel you pushing me away."  
  
"I know," he said facing down towards the white bed sheets. He just couldn't meet her gaze. Slowly he lowered himself onto the bed and continued to stare at the expanse of angelic white surrounding Sara. "I'm really sorry about the other night. I should have told you how I feel about you instead of letting you walk away. I've never been good with relationships. I didn't want you to be disappointed with me. I've never felt so guilty and so worried or . well you get my point. But I've never felt like that until I heard from Ecklie of all people that you'd been in an accident. I couldn't bare to think of my life without you. And then the first night you were in here, I slept outside your room and when I woke up you weren't there and I thought the worst and ."  
  
"Whoa Grissom calm down. I'm here. I'm a bit battered but I'm here. You haven't lost me." Grissom was blabbering, he never blabbered. She just had to interject, help him out a little.  
  
"I can't. The thing is I haven't got you out of my head for weeks. When I'm awake I think of you when I sleep I dream about you. I never thought I could fall in love again, not after, well not after."  
  
"After what?"  
  
"After Carole. My ex wife. She was having an affair for months behind my back before I found out. I come home one night from work and there she was with my best friend in bed. You can put the pieces together."  
  
"I never knew you were married."  
  
"It was a long time ago. When I first started college. We were high school sweethearts and we got married. It seemed the right thing to do at the time. We only lasted 3 years." "I'm sorry Grissom I never knew."  
  
"That's because I never told you. I always thought it was my fault. I was out at work to all hours she just never got the attention or love from me that she needed. I guess when push came to shove if she was happier with him than she was with me then who was I to say no. All I ever wanted was to make her happy. If it couldn't be me to make her happy then I was willing to let someone else do it."  
  
"So that's why you keep pushing me away. I'm not like Carole. I wouldn't do that to you. And I'm not going anywhere Grissom."  
  
"Is that right? I just had a phone call from a Mr. David Greatly. Asking for references."  
  
"Ah, well I can explain that."  
  
Grissom raised an eyebrow at her. He was finding the urge to break into a frown extremely hard to contain. He didn't want to show her how upset he would be at this possibility.  
  
"Explain away."  
  
"Well you see they offered me a promotion. And up until the accident I was going to take it. Sometimes you've got to move on you know? But lying in here for the past few days I've realised that I could never leave you Grissom. I'd miss you too much and I know this sounds selfish but I don't want to share you with anyone. If I left then someone might replace me and then where would I be?"  
  
"No one could ever replace you Sara. I think I love you."  
  
"You think?" She raised an eyebrow at him in mock distaste.  
  
"Ok, ok I know I love you." Leaning forward gently he lowered his lips onto hers and she returned the favour by reciprocating with all the emotion she felt for him right then. But fate however always has other plans. This can only be demonstrated by annoying little things called cell phones.  
  
Reluctantly answering it after breaking the sexually charged kiss he answered with an annoyed.  
  
"Grissom,"  
  
"Grissom, We've got a problem. I think Brass might be dead."  
  
  
  
It's another long one! At least I'm starting to get some constructive ideas down! Please if you have the time R & R my work as I'd really love to hear from you. Hope you enjoyed it. All my love Tinx . =) XX 


	8. Hero

Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. I really appreciate hearing from you! On with this chapter.  
  
Reluctantly answering it after breaking the sexually charged kiss he answered with an annoyed,  
  
"Grissom,"  
  
"Grissom, We've got a problem. I think Brass might be dead."  
  
  
  
"Who is this?" The voice was barely audible and Grissom didn't recognise it.  
  
"It's the bogeyman! Who the hell do you think it is?!" Greg answered with annoyance. Surely Grissom knew the situation by now so why on earth wasn't he here?  
  
"Greg! What are you talking about?" Grissom prompted.  
  
"Phone Ecklie. He'll explain everything. Tell him what I just said, he'll know what to do."  
  
"What makes you so sure I don't know what to do?" By the time Grissom had replied to Greg's statement the young lab tech had hung up on him. Damn. What was going on here?  
  
"Ecklie."  
  
"What the hell is going on Conrad?"  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Does it matter! What's going on and why does Greg think Brass is dead?"  
  
"Shit he said that to you?"  
  
"Yes." Grissom replied, his concern for his team growing by the second.  
  
"When was this?"  
  
"Just before I phoned you."  
  
"Look, get your ass outside the hospital. I'm on my way over to the team now I'll pick you up on my way there." With that Ecklie hung up and Grissom stared at his phone in distress. Something bad was happening and for once Grissom wasn't the first to know. It unnerved him to know that he'd fallen out of the loop, out of the close chain of command that made him the glue to hold everyone else together. He was the constant, or at least he had been, what had gone so wrong?  
  
In one word that question could be answered. Sara. However, it wasn't exactly her fault. It was his for falling for her. However, he could live with the guilt of being in love with a beautiful woman; just not if one of his team died. Kissing Sara goodbye he bolted out of the building and waited anxiously outside the entrance. Fidgeting and swapping his weight from foot to foot incessantly he noticed how nervous he was. Not a feeling he had very often.  
  
As quickly as it appeared around the entrance to the car park, it disappeared with Grissom inside. Ecklie's SUV that is. Ecklie as briefly and as quickly as he could he explained what had happened so far, whilst still trying to concentrate on his manic speeding which he tried to pass off as driving. Grissom suddenly realised he had no idea what to do. Most if not all of his team were in danger and he had to work with a man he disliked to try and save them.  
  
This was going to be a long night . or rather morning as dawn set over Las Vegas.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Why aren't the uniforms here yet? Warrick frantically tried to calm himself and to think rational thoughts but it was proving harder to do in actual practice. The strange woman had tied him up to the chair and patrolled the room for some time now in complete silence however if the two hostages and their captor's thoughts were made public the room would be buzzing with conversation.  
  
Something had to give. Somebody needed to do something. Warrick just never would've counted on it being Catherine.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Greg had kept Nick talking for nearly ten minutes and neither Catherine, Warrick nor Brass had emerged from the haunting building. Sure he'd overreacted on the phone to Grissom but if it meant he got his ass over here in a hurry then it would be well worth it. He didn't like being on his own, ok so technically he wasn't because Nick was there but his conversation wasn't exactly whipping him into a verbal frenzy. Ok so it wasn't the poor sod's fault. Greg imagined the pain that Nick must be in and chastised himself for being so insensitive. This place was just freaking him out. He hated when there were noises yet he hated the silence. He had hated it during the dark hours and now as it became light it wasn't any less frightening.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud bang that Greg recognised as a gunshot and suddenly cowered down next to his friend. Breathing hard and loud he hoped by his exaggeration on the phone to Grissom that he hadn't given fate ideas.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The door flung open and pushed the unsuspecting vanquisher onto the hard wooden floor. Caught off guard, her weapon dropped to the floor and Catherine stepped over to it and placed one of her 3 inch stiletto clad feet over it, protecting it from its owner.  
  
"I think we need to talk don't we Casey?"  
  
"You know each other?" Warrick asked incredulously. Firstly, the impressive and much appreciated arrival of his friend and secondly the fact she knew who the hell this psycho was.  
  
"Yes we do." The newly named 'Casey' revealed as she snarled at Catherine. Meanwhile Catherine smiled down at her with a look of pure smug satisfaction.  
  
"Casey Donahugh. Killed her boyfriend. It was the perfect murder, we couldn't pin it on her. That was until Sara found the tiniest spec of gunpowder residue on Casey's shirt and then the tiniest little dot of blood on the Vic's shirt that didn't belong to him. Surprise surprise guess who it belonged to?"  
  
"Her."  
  
"Hey watch who your talking to!" Casey was obviously riled now but she remained on the floor.  
  
"No, watch who you're talking to. I think you'll find I'm in control here."  
  
"Wanna bet?" As quick as lightning Casey had rolled over and before Catherine could prepare herself Casey had launched herself at the strawberry blond. Grabbing the gun from its place on the floor she regained her composure and stood over Catherine glaring at her.  
  
"What did you think you'd win? If these to reprobates could defeat me then you sure as hell aren't going to! Don't make me shoot you. Actually, I think you've done enough to join you're friend Sara in the morgue."  
  
Warrick was suddenly hit with a bright idea. "You don't know do you?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Sara's not dead. She's very much alive and well at the hospital."  
  
"She's what?" Casey bellowed, the screech reverberating off the walls of the small room.  
  
"She's not dead. She's tough." Warrick smirked at the fact he had one over on the lunatic stood next to him. Damn he loved being superior to criminals. Casey still staring at him rose the gun to his head level and quickly pulled the trigger. Closing his eyes he felt no pain. Well he knew death would have been instantaneous. Cracking an eye open slightly he noticed with a start he was very much alive. Casey smirked at the coward of a man before her.  
  
"Yes you're alive. But don't make me shoot you."  
  
Warily turning around he saw the window has smashed into a thousand, maybe even a million, different pieces. He'd never been that scared in his whole entire life, and that was saying something. Casey returned her leaden gaze towards Catherine. "You don't get it do you?" she spat out. "You with your job and your kid. Your perfect little existence, I never had that. Jason deserved to die. Jason the jock, Jason Deacon the perfect guy. As if! Do you know what he used to do to me? He beat me so badly once that I was a coma for days. But did you check your records on that one?"  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Catherine asked. Ignoring her question, Casey continued with her ranting and raving.  
  
"One night he came home drunk and started to get hostile. He was going to beat me again and this time I decided I wasn't going to be his punch bag anymore. I ran to the study where he kept his gun and I shot him. So I'm sorry for defending myself but the bastard deserved what he got. What goes around come around. That's what Sara got. Unfortunately she lived." She twisted her face into a gnarled, evil frown and continued to stare at the blond beneath her. "You don't know because you didn't care enough to check. I've done 3 years of a life sentence and I'm not going back. I escaped from that hellhole and I came here. A little of unfinished business. I'm just a bit disappointed that the infamous Grissom hasn't shown up. I guess there's still time but I think I should get rid of you first. You don't deserve to be part of this master plan so you won't be. Don't interfere in something you know nothing about." She emphasised the word nothing with a specific distaste towards Catherine.  
  
"Any last requests?"  
  
"Let me phone my daughter."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Greg threw down anything that he didn't need onto the ground. Cell, keys etc and planted them next to Nick. Whispering a quick goodbye and a 'Hang in there buddy,' he left the side of his co-worker. Taking a deep breath he couldn't quite believe what he was about to do. The team had always got him out of messes before never the other way round. They were relying on him, Greg just hoped that he didn't screw it up.  
  
Entering the house hesitantly he had second thoughts. He knew he could just turn back now and wait for Ecklie and Grissom but he had no idea how long they would be. He was on his own and he both hated and relished that nugget of information. Psyching himself up he whispered into the darkness, "Don't let them die, go get them out. You can do it." He wasn't sure how but he was determined to do it. Running on adrenaline, he refused to acknowledge the fact he was unarmed. The sheer electricity that coursed through his veins was enough. Or at least he hoped it would be.  
  
Primarily, he guided himself by hugging the wall and although he must have looked stupid it was working fine for him. Slowly getting accustomed to the light he found his way towards the stairs. He could hear muffled voices but they sounded angry. What was he getting himself into?  
  
He didn't have time to answer that question because his body acted before his head could properly think through each process of his so called plan. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the door handle. Silently turning it he braced himself for what he was about to do. Come on Greg, he kept chanting. It was the only thing that was keeping him from throwing up with nerves right now. Taking another deep breath, he made sure to inhale deeply. Before he could breathe out, he burst in through the door, spotted the stranger and threw himself at her pinning her to the ground.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Warrick couldn't believe his eyes. At first he thought it must be a uniform but after spotting the garish Hawaiian shirt he knew it was Greg. Catherine had just been on the phone as Casey had been watching and then Greg had busted in and threw himself at her. It would've been impressive if Warrick wasn't so shocked.  
  
He noticed that Catherine was still holding onto her phone grasping onto it tightly, moving quickly out of the way of the wrestling duo next to her on the floor. She was praying for someone to answer but Warrick couldn't deduce if her prayer was successful or not. And a couple of seconds later it wouldn't even matter.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nick had been lying on the ground, fighting to stay conscious. He thought he must be hallucinating when he heard the cell ringing and then when he saw both Grissom and Ecklie running frantically towards him. Ecklie answered the cell and listened intently to the racket on the other end.  
  
Grissom didn't need to be next to the receiver, he could hear the noise about a metre away from where Ecklie was hogging it. He heard the shouts and screams and lots of banging and then 2 very specific sounds. That of 2 gunshots.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was hard to tell what had happened but suddenly blood was gushing from somewhere, the team just hoped it wasn't from Greg. However, the closed eyes and listless form of the young lab tech dashed the hopeful thoughts. As Catherine recoiled away from the two lifeless bodies on the floor, the door flung open to reveal Ecklie and Grissom, However Catherine found herself thinking, too little too late.  
  
Grissom leant down quickly next to the bodies and rolled the female one off Greg. Grissom put a hand to Greg's face and tried to open his eyes but the pupils refused to acknowledge his presence. Grissom searched Greg's body with his gaze to find the offending bullet and found it just above Greg's left hipbone. Ecklie checked the pulse of the other body and found it to be absent, she was definitely dead whoever she was. She had a wound to the stomach, there was no chance she'd have survived it from that close a distance. But could Greg?  
  
Grissom found Greg's pulse and tried to wake the unconscious man beneath him. Finally he succeeded in his task and listened carefully to the quiet rasps Greg offered as explanation.  
  
"I'm sorry Grissom,"  
  
"What for Greg?"  
  
"I should have waited. None of this would have happened if I hadn't come in here on my own."  
  
Ecklie untied both Brass and Warrick and they all knelt down on the floor next to Greg.  
  
"No Greg, you saved us." Warrick tried to reassure his friend who was sobbing with either pain or emotion.  
  
"No you would have saved yourselves. You didn't need me. I was just trying to be the hero for once. I'm sorry," his breaths became closer and closer together and Grissom feared that he was losing Greg. "Tell my parents that I did ok will you. They've never been proud of me, maybe they will now. And tell Nick I'm sorry for leaving him outside. A professional wouldn't do that." He gasped for air once more and swallowed hard, his eyes momentarily closed and then he finally managed to rasp, "You've all been so good to me over the years. Thank you for everything. You all mean the world to me. and . and ." He stopped talking for a second and Grissom touched his face lightly trying to keep him conscious whilst applying pressure to Greg's heavily bleeding wound. "and Warrick you're welcome to my shirt collection. Let me go guys, it's ok the angels are here for me."  
  
As the voices and crying of his friends and colleagues faded into the background, Greg could see his Grandmother, his mother and father and also his Auntie Mary. They were all dead and he knew that they'd come to get him. He was going with them. Suddenly dying didn't seem so bad. He knew the pain would soon stop and he relished that fact. Breathing his last he grasped hold of his mother's outstretched hand and fell into the endless expanse of white light before him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Please review as I'd really really like to hear your opinions. Until next time loads of love Tinx . =) XX 


	9. Sorry

Ok I'm double posting so I don't know if anyone's reviewed yet! Although I hope so! Anyway, I was on a role last night when I wrote the last chapter so I thought I might continue today. Anyway I hope it lives up to your expectations. Chapter 9.  
  
Breathing his last he grasped hold of his mother's outstretched hand and fell into the endless expanse of white light before him.  
  
"Greg no!" Catherine wailed shortly before collapsing onto his lifeless form. Warrick reached out for one of Greg's hands and stroked it hoping that this simple gesture of friendship alone would be strong enough to bring him back to life. Grissom kept his hand over Greg's wound and in his free hand felt his pulse. It was gone. Grissom felt dizzy and sick and knew he was going into shock. The only one who wasn't crying or silent with grief was Ecklie who was thunderously booming orders into his cell phone.  
  
"You don't want your friend to die do you?" He barked at Grissom.  
  
"N. n. no." Grissom shook out.  
  
"Well help me then."  
  
"He's gone."  
  
"Brass, help me." Brass nodded and pushed Catherine out of the way slightly. He watched as Ecklie started to breath for Greg. 5 short breaths and then Brass knew it was his turn. He started the compressions lightly, not wanting to hurt Greg, and then realised how stupid this was. Pushing harder on the lab tech's chest they began to work together, working in complete silence trying to get Greg back. Brass was beginning to give up hope, but Ecklie wouldn't. He positioned himself over he young man beneath him and gave him air again and again praying all the time for Greg to rejoin the land of the living.  
  
Between each set he checked Greg's pulse and to his dismay still found it to be absent. Ferociously getting back to work he knew that soon it would be beyond hope and that he only had a minute or so to revive him. His lungs burning for air themselves, he took one huge breath and then gave it selflessly to Greg. Letting his fingers trace down to Greg's neck he closed his eyes and concentrated. Please let him live, he heard himself say aloud.  
  
Finally believing that the battle was over he looked over at Brass. Catching his gaze Catherine, covered in blood, retreated into Warrick's opened opens and sobbed uncontrollably whilst Grissom removed himself from the floor and turned around to face the door.  
  
He couldn't watch. He should have told Greg how much he meant to him, how much he meant to them all and now Greg was gone. There was too much to say and time had run out before any of them could express how they felt. Grissom began to mumble, "How are we going to tell Nick and Sara?"  
  
"Shut up!" Ecklie hissed. Grissom was astounded at first but then he noticed how close Ecklie was to Greg's face.  
  
He thought he was imagining it at first, but Ecklie knew a pulse when he felt one even if it was the weakest one he'd ever felt.  
  
"He's alive!" He shouted. "He's alive."  
  
Just as he said this, the paramedics burst into the room and looked in horror at the scene before them. Shaking their heads they got down to business and placed an oxygen mask over Greg's mouth. Whisking him onto a stretcher they took him immediately down the stairs and out of the building with the team in hot pursuit. They'd already placed Nick in an ambulance and Greg was next. There wasn't room for any of the 5 remaining friends in the ambulance trucks so they watched as their friends were taken away until only the faint sound of a siren proved this whole nightmare had happened at all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Grissom slowly coming out of shock, turned to face Ecklie. "You saved him." He stated.  
  
"No we saved him." Ecklie pronounced nodding his head in the direction of Brass.  
  
"Fine you both saved him, well for now anyway. We need to get to the hospital and see if the doctors can repeat the miracle."  
  
No one spoke for the entire journey and whilst Grissom and Ecklie shared the two front seats of Ecklie's SUV Brass, Catherine and Warrick squashed into the back. Catherine hadn't stopped crying and Warrick hadn't talked since the incident either. He couldn't physically make his mouth open and form the words he so desperately needed to say. The only thing that he could do was replay memories from over the years and smile at how Greg had kept them smiling with his insane antics. And for some bizarre reason unknown to Warrick, he had the lyrics to a song that he didn't quite recognise running through his head.  
  
Why did the bad things always happen to the good guys? He wasn't able to answer his own question as a huge lump formed in his throat and he turned his attentions to outside the window, sheltering his emotions from his friends.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Greg it's not your time to come with us yet." He was holding his mothers hand looking over a pale listless man lying in a bright white room.  
  
"But mom you came to get me. Why can't I come? I miss you mom."  
  
"You'll find out when you get back."  
  
"Back to what?"  
  
"To life."  
  
"But mom I don't want to go, I want to be with you and dad and Granny and Aunt Mary."  
  
"I know you do son. We all love you very much and we miss you too but its not your time to come with us yet. When it is I promise that we'll all still be here." She bent down and kissed his forehead lightly and as he closed his eyes to relish one of the things he'd missed the most, he felt like he was falling and slowly he fell back into the darkness.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Normally in these situations it would be Greg who would keep them all stable, he was the one who could make light of anything. However, he wasn't here and the team dearly missed his influence. They sat apart from each other, shock and worry distancing their friendships and although there were words that needed to be said, no one had the courage to voice them.  
  
Half an hour later, Nick walked unsteadily into the waiting room to a chorus of 'How are you?' and worried hugs. Truth was they'd told him he needed to stay in overnight for surveillance but he told them where to shove it. Right now Nick needed to help his friends get through this even if his head felt like a ten tonne truck had just run over it. He settled them all down, firstly getting them all a strong coffee, then he moved onto consoling Catherine and then after finding out the whole story he congratulated and thanked Ecklie and Brass.  
  
Greg was his best friend and now he was in danger of not coming out of this alive. After paying a quick visit to the hospital chapel he made his way to Sara's room, who knew nothing about tonight's escapades.  
  
After a brief explanation, Nick had to console the other female of the team and suddenly he felt the urge to cry along with her. But his tears could be reserved for later, right now he knew he had to be strong. No tears could escape. He stayed with her for a while and then he went to tackle Grissom.  
  
He'd stayed silent throughout the whole waiting room experience and Nick had to try and get through to him. Walking back into the waiting room he found the plastic seat where Grissom had been to be empty. Where was he?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Grissom didn't really go to bookstores often, he just ordered books off the Internet but today he knew exactly what he had to get Greg. If he. he stopped that train of thought and started again. When Greg got out of his unconscious state, Grissom wanted to give him a present he'd love. And he knew exactly what to get him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Mr. Ecklie?" the junior nurse nervously coughed out. "Mr. Ecklie?" she repeated.  
  
He turned quickly to face her and she smiled gently at him. "The doctor would like to talk to you alone."  
  
"About Greg yes?"  
  
"About Mr. Sanders."  
  
"Yeah. Well I'm sorry but no. We're a team, we all care about Greg and we all need to know how he is. So whatever the doctor is going to say he can say it in front of all of us."  
  
Ecklie had lowered his voice throughout his speech. He didn't want the team to hear his emotions coming out. He was known as the tough guy a reputation that even in the circumstances he was determined to retain.  
  
"Mr. Ecklie I presume." The doctor stated politely. He was a middle-aged man, with greying hair around the temples, probably from all the stress he had in his job. He was of stocky build and a few inches taller than Conrad.  
  
"Yes." Ecklie managed to rasp out.  
  
"I'm afraid that I have both good and bad news. The bad news is that your friend is going to be in the ICU for a number of days, maybe even weeks. He was severely injured in the incident, and although the surgery was a success we have no idea as to whether Greg's body can fight it. At the moment we've got him connected to a drip to keep him hydrated and we've taken precautionary measures to try to ensure that he stays with us throughout today and tonight." The doctor paused momentarily to let Ecklie and the other 4 friends who had congregated time to digest the information. "The good news is that he's stable for the moment and he was conscious. We gave him a sedative and some painkillers so that he could get some rest. You'll probably be able to see him this evening, If," the doctor emphasised the word, "If, he's up to it. I suggest you all go home, get a few hours sleep, a wash and some food and come back later tonight. I'll try everything in my power to let you see him this evening but right now he needs rest. And by the looks of it, you could do with it as well." The doctor stopped once more and stared one by one at the team. He could see them trying to think of excuses not to go but then the light fell once more from their eyes and they reluctantly gave in.  
  
10 minutes later they had all vacated the waiting room and the doctor got back to his duties. Or at least he would have done if it had not been for a man who asked as to the progress and whereabouts of a Mr. Greg Sanders. He later introduced himself as Gil Grissom. The man carrying a suspicious looking book under his left arm looked upset and dishevelled and taking pity on him, the doctor showed him to Greg's isolated room, and Grissom couldn't believe the irony of it all. Greg was in the room Sara had been in.  
  
Placing a chair next to the bed, the doctor motioned for Grissom to sit down and then left the man to his own devices.  
  
"Hey Greg, I don't know if you can hear me but." he paused whilst he tried to swallow, the huge lump in his throat preventing him from doing so. "But I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry for always coming down hard on you and not appreciating the fact that you bust your ass to keep me happy and all I do is throw it back in your face. I also want to say I'm sorry for giving up on you back at the scene. If Brass and Ecklie hadn't kept on going then we would have lost you and I never would have forgiven myself. I think you've probably guessed I don't apologise very often but I know that I need to. I've got a present for you but I'll wait until you wake up before I tell you what it is. Lets just say I think you're going to like it. You're also probably wondering what I'm still doing here. Well I didn't want you to wake up in a strange place all alone. So I'm here for you Greg. Take your time; I'll be here for you." Placing a friendly hand over the impossibly white hand of the younger man, Grissom lowered his head onto the bed next to Greg's hand. Finally he drifted off to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
8 hours later and the team had all slept briefly, washed, eaten and returned to the hospital, intent on making the doctor deliver his promise. And the doctor in turn delivered. The sedative should be wearing off anytime now and Greg should wake up. However, everything was conditional at present because everything was up in the air. The doctor went to check on Greg and noticed that the man was still there, resting his head on Greg's bed, presumably sleeping. He hated to have to do it but he had to wake him up. Shaking him slightly, Gil jumped. Getting up out of the chair and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the heels of his hands, he watched as the doctor went about his work checking on Greg.  
  
Turning away from the bed, Grissom failed to possess the courage to keep looking at the younger man. He was so impossibly white; he just hoped that he woke up soon.  
  
"Hello, there Mr Sanders. I'm Doctor Selmes. How are you feeling?"  
  
Grissom spun on his heels hoping that this meant what he thought it meant.  
  
"Rough." Came the reply.  
  
Smiling at this, Grissom moved back to his position in the chair next to his bed.  
  
"You've got 5 minutes before I let the rest of your friends in."  
  
Grissom acknowledged the generosity of the man with a brief nod and a smile and then turned his attentions back once more to Greg.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hi Grissom. You come here often?"  
  
Smiling at the joke of the now conscious lab tech he replied. "Well I hope not. Well at least not anymore. You scared us today Greg."  
  
"I scared myself."  
  
"Umm, I've only got a couple of minutes before the rest of the team come in and I really need to give you this on your own." Brandishing a black leather covered book he held it out to Greg. Placing it just in front of himself, Greg traced with disbelief the gold gilt letters on the front cover.  
  
"How to be a CSI. Volume I."  
  
"But."  
  
"But nothing. You showed today that you've got what it takes Greg. I would love to have your courage on my team."  
  
"I don't know what to say."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Look here comes everyone else. There's a message on the inside cover for you but don't read it until I've gone."  
  
Greg nodded gingerly and pondered momentarily over the message just as the team burst into the room armed with flowers, teddies and fruit.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The team had just left as Doctor Selmes, armed with 3 nurses had shuffled them out. Greg returned his attentions again to the book on the bedside table next to him. Picking it up he traced the letters one more. He thought he'd never hear Grissom say the words that he had earlier. Turning the cover over gently he read Grissom's scrawl.  
  
"Dear Greg,  
  
I bet this is a shock to you! However, you deserve to follow your dreams. And don't deny it because Sara told me what they were. You've got what it takes Greg.  
  
Grissom. X  
  
P.S. 'For all those times you stood by me, For all the truth that you made me see, For all the joy you brought to my life, For all the wrongs that you made right.'  
  
See you in work soon Greg."  
  
Greg smiled at the fond message and couldn't believe how soppy Grissom had been. He must have really been scared. Finally contented, Greg let his head lower once more onto the pillow and drifted off in to a deep sleep.  
  
Wow. Double posting. That's got to be a new one for me hasn't it?! Anyway I'd be really happy if you reviewed. If you have any ideas about whether I should leave the story there or whatever I'd love to hear them. Until next time loads of love Tinx .=) XX 


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